Take A Child Outside Week

Take A Child Outside Week is September 24- September 30, 2009.

The program is "designed to help break down obstacles that keep children from discovering the natural world." An initiative of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences with partner organizations across the United States and Canada, the goal of Take A Child Outside Week is to help children across the country develop a better understanding and appreciation of the environment in which they live, and a burgeoning enthusiasm for its exploration.

Many of the children I know already have an enthusiastic love of the outdoors. My own children love hiking. The youngest is interested in plants and can identify many different plants. (I may have to post about that in more detail sometime.) Still, I wanted to do something to acknowledge the week.

This morning, T and I had Children's Worship which means we got to hang out with the kids during the worship service. The rain of the past couple days ended so we took the kids on a walk around the church yard and ball field. As we walked, we stopped to check out mushrooms and spiderwebs. We named some of the trees, checked out the walnuts that had fallen from their tree and spent some time looking at (and sampling a few) grapes that were growing along the edge of the ball field. The children received the appropriate cautions and reminders about not eating whatever they happen to find growing on vines or trees. During our walk, I encouraged the children to gather leaves so we could use them for an art project. When we returned to the classroom, I demonstrated how to make a leaf rubbing using a leaf, a crayon and sheet of paper. The kids enjoyed making rubbings of the leaves they collected on our little walk and I came home with gifts from kids other than my own. I had borrowed some tree identification books from the library so the kids could look at those. Before we left for church, I plucked a few sassafras leaves from the trees in our yard because I didn't recall seeing any near the church. After we identified and did rubbings of the leaves, I broke the stems and had the children smell it. Sassafras has a citrus-like scent. The kids loved it and the leaves I had taken with me went home with different people.

Linville Falls

September 13, 2009
Linville Falls
Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina
Erwin's View Trail approx 1.6 miles round trip
Moderate


The trip to Linville Falls was a delayed birthday outing. We began our hike shortly before 10:00am on Sunday morning because we had heard the trails/overlooks can become crowded. There are two ways to access the trails to the falls. We chose the United States Forest Service access area just off Hwy 183 near the town of Linville Falls. For a paved parking area, flushable toilets and a small gift shop the access area along the Blue Ridge Parkway is recommended. The girls had fun with the tree stumps along the trail; they even used one as a 'hiding spot.' We were glad we started early. When we started our hike there were only 3 other cars in the parking area; when we finished the parking area had filled up a lot and more people arrived while we enjoyed our picnic lunch at one of the two available tables near the parking area. There are trails to the gorge but T and I weren't sure we wanted to take the girls on those trails.


Erwin's View


Looking into the gorge








Upper Falls

South Moutains State Park

August 30, 2009
High Shoals Falls
South Mountains State Park
Connelly Springs, NC

This park is a short drive from our house so we've hiked this trail many times over the past few years. In fact, this was the trail we chose when we took our very first family hike. We decided to hike to High Shoals Falls after nearly a week of rain to see the waterfall with a 'fuller flow.' We were thrilled to see the recent rains had water tumbling through and over rocks for a symphony where the trail normally appears to be just a bridge over a rock bed. The girls pointed out and photographed lots of different fungi while we were hiking.

Boone Fork Trail

Julian Price Park
Blue Ridge Parkway
North Carolina

Boone Fork Trail is a strenuous 4.9 mile loop trail with a number of stream crossings, plenty of rocks and lots of roots to trip over. The trail head is just past the restrooms in the picnic area at Julian Price Memorial Park (milepost 297). The trail passes through the campground (where we saw a doe) and through a pasture that is still in use. We saw evidence of beavers.

Riverbend Park

May 11, 2009
Riverbend Park
Catawba County, North Carolina

Easy walking with the family for Mother's Day
This was T's first trip since breaking his ankle in December
He was ready to hit the trail to High Shoals Falls at South Mountains State Park but I wanted to do something less involved to test his ankle.
We started off on the green trail, passed a couple meadows, saw the pond then switched to the red trail to go along the riverbank.
Animal sightings: frogs, lizards, a box turtle that wouldn't come out of his shell, a green snake, and butterflies
As we walked, the girls identified trees particularly the tulip poplars and cedar trees.

Bakers Mountain Park

April 18, 2009
Bakers Mountain Park
Catawba County, North Carolina

Moderate hike
Just mom & the girls hiked this one
Visited two old home sites then looped back to park office
We heard woodpeckers but didn't manage to catch a glimpse of one
No trip to Bakers Mountain is complete until the girls get to visit "Slithers" an Eastern King Snake living as a pet in the rangers' office







Dogwoods in bloom



Standing at the threshold of one old homesite



Memorial placed by Boy Scout Troop 351 honoring A.G. Clark, who grew up in the cabin that once stood here. A.G. Clark was KIA in WWII. The girls were fascinated to learn he's buried in the cemetery at our church.




The other old home site



At one time Mica was excavated on the mountain. We wouldn't have known we were at the excavation spot if the map stand hadn't been there. No photos of that but we did get a photograph of some quartz in the trail

Moses Cone Memorial Park

October 12, 2008
Moses Cone Memorial Park
Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina

Easy hiking along carriage trails past cemetery and up to the observation tower, also known as Flat Top Tower, then back out again.
Animal sightings: cows in pasture, horses and dogs on the trails
It wasn't really as crowded as we anticipated. We were there the week before the official 'peak' of color.

The Parkway Craft Center is housed at Cone Manor. The house is gorgeous and the views are beautiful.
We'll go back.